House holiday rentals in Istro

We enjoyed a fantastic four days in Aris’ place, the views of the plateau and mountains are just beautiful! We felt right at home, and it was lovely to have Aris and his wife physically there at check in, a rarity these days! The images really don’t do this place justice, it is up some winding roads but we were prepared for that having visited the plateau in 2012. We can’t recommend staying here more, we really wish we’d have booked a longer stay! Aris had a fantastic hire car recommendation too, which was also great, and we had some amazing recommendations from them too. Thank you very much Aris!

We can highly recommend this accommodation. It's tucked away in a very secluded spot, which makes it wonderfully peaceful. At the same time, you can reach restaurants and a mini market in just a few minutes. A car is essential! The garden is stunning. The biodiversity is incredible. There's always something new to discover. The house is quite small and simply furnished, but that was absolutely fine. Everything was clean, and that's what matters most. The long driveway leading to the house can be a bit intimidating—it just slopes down without any railing or guard. But that’s just part of the Cretan charm. Giannis was always very friendly and helpful—thank you for everything! We also got to know the neighboring family and even visited them. Such kind people. And the animals! Aphroditi the horse, a peacock, chickens, and turkeys—our daughter loved them. Overall a great experience. We were very happy and would definitely recommend it. Who knows—maybe we’ll be back in a few years!

We (a family with two kids, aged 5 and 2) really enjoyed our stay with Mpampis. The apartment is modern and has everything you need. The private pool and the courtyard were absolute highlights, especially for our kids. The beach is just 50 meters away. It’s a sandy beach in a quiet bay, which makes it perfect for families with children. Mpampis is a great host — he always responded quickly and gave us helpful tips for restaurants and beaches. We’ll definitely be coming back!

Snorkelling paradise! Nikos and the Stone House were both great. The house is small, but has everything you need, with the pool and BBQ area where we spent most of our time, and the steps down to the sea lead to a perfect spot for snorkelling, where we saw all sorts of types of sea life. Nikos was there with everything we needed, including recommendations of beaches / restaurants etc. Ierepetra is a much nicer town than people say and the Stone House is a 5 minute drive into town. You could walk, but we didn't. Would highly recommend!

As a couple staying here, we can recommend for a quiet and relaxing stay. Everything is as advertised: simple but clean. The terrace offers privacy and is surrounded by olive trees. Restaurants are on walking distance, as is the beach (20 min) if you can cope with the steep hill. As almost everywhere in Crete, a car comes in handy for any other trips.

Very quiet place with amazing views. We really enjoyed our time there. The house is well equipped and has everything your heart desires. In the surrounding villages are very beautiful beaches, which were hardly visited, as well as small tavernas with super tasty and cheap food. We felt very comfortable.

The place was spotless, clean, and tidy. Pamela welcomed us for our short stay in Heraklion. We were well settled there, about fifteen minutes by car from the city center and 10 minutes from the airport, which made it easier to organize the end of our stay.

Stella’s place was really great. Very pretty and welcoming. Thank you.

Elpida, a dream house, definitely recommended. Not only the location and the view are sensational, but also the house itself. We (married couple 63/61) were able to enjoy Angelika's unobtrusive and warm hospitality in May 2025 and had a relaxing week in or above the beautiful village of Mochlos. We have nothing to complain about, on the contrary - we have rarely found such a great accommodation. Perfect furnishings and very well-equipped kitchen, always a shady spot and very pleasant insect protection. The steep ascent to the mountain is no problem after the first exercise. The scent of the plants is simply wonderful. Dear Angelika, thank you for sharing Elpida with strangers, we will be happy to come back to you and Koko and are already looking forward to it, best regards, Anne Dietz and Stefan Schmädeke from Hanover

This place is very remote, but with 50m from the sea it is really a magical place. Unfortunately, we only spent 5 nights there, but would have preferred to stay longer. The house itself is not so special, but the location absolutely is. With 100% privacy, you are 50 m from the sea with only a few houses nearby that are certainly not permanently occupied. With Sitia 15m away, you are also back in the inhabited world, with all the amenities available. In short, highly recommended if you like peace and space. Kallia is really a treasure, the house is tip top, and she even cooked for us the first night because we hadn't done any shopping yet. Will definitely come back

Great place to stay which I highly recommend. We felt at home. We had the beach to ourselves, so to speak. Eftychia was always easily accessible, mega helpful and accommodating. As a welcome gift, she provided us with fresh vegetables, fruits and wine. Everything was perfect.

This place is amazing. When I come back to Agios I will be staying here! Clean, location, and amazing hosts. Can’t recommend anywhere else to stay!

We had a wonderful stay in this beautifully furnished apartment. The kitchen is especially well equipped, and there is air conditioning in every room, which made our stay very comfortable. The view over the city and the sea is stunning, and the apartment offers a lot of privacy. Dimitris was always attentive and made sure that everything was perfect for us and that we had everything we needed. Highly recommended!

We had a fantastic stay also thanks to our great host Popi, responded quickly to our questions and always came up with a solution. Accommodation was super clean and everything a person needs during his vacation. 2 terraces one at the front and one at the back with spectacular views over the bay of Agios Nickolaos. Furthermore, it is also the perfect place to make trips to the east side of Crete. A car is recommended here. Tip: drive to the idyllic town of Mochlos. Popi thank you for your hospitality, you were a lovely host and hopefully see you soon.

We can only agree with the many positive reviews. We had a great time in the beautiful mountain village – it was a special experience. Every morning we had breakfast on the roof terrace and enjoyed the tranquility. At first we thought the sea would be missing, but that wasn't the case at all. We really came to rest – walks in the area were enough for that. Actually, we planned to do more, but we enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere so much that we took it easy. Nevertheless, we were traveling by car and made some nice excursions, including to the coast, where we discovered great restaurants. A vacation that will stay with us in very good memory. Thank you Marie and her dear mother for everything. Best regards, Simone and Michael

The stay was great. The location with this beautiful view directly on the sea was outstanding! We felt like at home and the children loved it too. We were always able to reach out to Karolos and he gave us great tips for restaurants and things to do. We'd come back in a heartbeat!

We loved our 5 night stay here. Maria is a kind and helpful host who booked taxis for us and responded quickly to any questions we had. The apartment is very comfortable and nicely furnished with a wonderful view of Spinalonga and the sea as other guests have described. We really appreciated Maria's thoughtfulness in providing milk, fruit, snacks, and wine. The kitchen is also well stocked with condiments and tea and coffee. It is a 10 -15 minute walk down the hill to the beach and gorgeous turquoise blue water for swimming (take reef shoes or thongs for the smooth stone beach though). Of course that also means a walk back up the hill with no shade... Plaka is a delightful, small village with great restaurants overlooking the water. Maria's place is such a lovely place to relax and enjoy the wonderful view. You won't be disappointed.

It was comfortable and relaxing. The glass of the coffee pot had a crack. I let them know and a new pot was brought to us immediately. Thank you for that and for the nice accommodation

We had a great stay at this Airbnb! The view of the water is absolutely beautiful. The host was incredibly helpful and even assisted us in booking our car rental for the vacation. The place was clean and well-maintained. The location is also great, with restaurants just a short walk away.

We loved our stay! The apartment is located just on top of the Taverna and about 15 meters from the beach. Within 5 minutes walk there is also a yoga location offering amazing drop in classes. From the moment we drove into the town we were warmly greeted by the lambros family. We spent the next 5 days at the beach and taverna relaxing. It was a great experience and we truly felt part of the local community for the short period we stayed. I highly recommend it if you want to relax and do less rather than more! The apartment is spacious and provides all you need for your stay, including a washing machine. The bed was very comfortable and there was plenty of space to chill.

Our three day stay in Alexandros' place was amazing. First of all, everything is as described in the page and even has more! Alexandros and Sofia left us a lovely note and welcome drinks, fruit and snacks! Comfortable beds, modern renovation, close free parking and very close to the centre of the lovely village of Kritsa, a great base to explore the surrounding area for those who want a smaller place to do so. We were lucky enough to be in Alexandros' place during Easter, and could experience fully the festive atmosphere of Kritsa, with processions, bonfires and celebrations, and Alexandros was so kind as to invite us to an Easter barbecue, which was a great experience for which we will be forever thankful. Highly recommend for those who want a quiet, beautiful yet central base to explore the Agios Nikolaos area.

This was our favourite stay of the trip. The place is idyllic, with a private swimming area only a few steps away. The house is decorated tastefully and gives a really nice indoor-outdoor feeling with the large patio and sliding doors. The kitchen is extremely well-stocked with everything you might need to cook, including well-sharpened knives! Manolis brought us some fresh vegetables from the farm, which were delicious. Everything about the place is thoughtful and we loved our stay there. It is ideal for a trip where you want to spend a lot of time relaxing at the house and hanging out, it is so nice we barely wanted to leave!

May 2025, 10 nights stay for three (2 adults, 1 toddler). Villa is really fantastic. Beautiful view of the sea and the bay. It offers plenty of space for more people (2 couples, 4-6 friends, 2 families) and for longer stays (storage space, cupboards and shelves, etc.). The furnishings correspond to the description and offer, even in the kitchen, everything you need. Our highlight was the covered terrace. Our flight was moved up at short notice. A significantly earlier check-in was no problem at all in our case. Stelios is a very friendly, helpful and dedicated host. We recommend him and his villa without reservation. Small restriction: the accommodation is a bit off the beaten track or the region is a bit scattered (mainly due to the geography of the terrain). Without your own car, it will be a bit difficult in our opinion. However, there is a free parking space directly at the house.

This was my third stay in Mary's beautiful village house. It is a magical experience to step back in time 100 years, but with fast and reliable WiFi, strong A/C (or, for us in mid-April, heat) and modern plumbing. Everything works perfectly. The location is ideal for exploring Eastern Crete by car, with great hiking options and fascinating archaeological sites. There are a couple of good tavernas in the village within walking distance and my favorite taverna (after 9 visits), Porto Kanaki in Pachia Ammos within an easy 5 minute drive. Mary herself is wonderful, extremely responsive and helpful. I love her place and hope to come again for a 4th visit someday.